Detailing major updates to Wynn’s long-running signature production…
NOTE: This article previously appeared on another site in February 2017. There have been additional revisions to the show since then. I will be revisiting Le Reve very soon and will share those updates with you at a later time.
The aquatic show Le Reve – A Small Collection of Imperfect Dreams opened at Wynn Resort in May of 2005. It was an eerie tale told through acrobatics and a blend of water and aerial ballet. Sets were adorned with skulls and skeletons, while the ceiling was layered with actual casts of human bodies. The dream of an “everyman” protagonist caught both audiences and critics off-guard. It was surprisingly dark for a night out in Vegas and became a bit of a PR nightmare for the newly-opened resort.
Despite the fact that this writer was blown away (I saw it on my first Vegas trip), the production was quickly retooled. A lengthy process of reinvention took place over the next several years, much in keeping with the “fluid” nature of its setting. Le Reve was lightened and brightened, transformed from a sinister nightmare into a sweeping adventure filled with romance, dance….and lots of flowers.
The reinvention worked. Le Reve – The Dream (its second official name) became a must-see…and winner of Best Production Show for six consecutive years (Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association). Throughout its run, additional artistic and technological elements have been added to keep audiences returning. My personal tally is twenty-seven as of this writing (you can read all about my previous experiences by visiting an archived VegasChatter article here).
Perhaps it was a reflection of the times that a happy version of Le Reve soared while the economy was tanking. Failed projects continue to surround the Wynn/Encore property, reminders of a time when the future of Las Vegas growth suddenly seemed bleak. But for fans of Le Reve, all was sunny and bright.
Now that tourists are pouring back into Vegas in record numbers and money is flowing once more, the folks at Wynn Entertainment have once again retooled their namesake show (Wynn resort was originally to be called “Le Reve”). And surprise…the production has gone back to the beginning and restored a bit of the darkness.
Why would an established show embrace an approach that didn’t work so well the first time around? Perhaps we can credit this to the current crop of Vegas enthusiasts. Younger crowds that make Sin City their go-to destination these days don’t generally attend this type of production. But they do indulge in imagination-based entertainment like gaming, martial artistry, sci-fi, and superheroes.
Le Reve version 2017 has tapped into the burgeoning fantasy culture and brought heroes and villains to the center of Le Reve’s aqua-stage. A romantic triangle that forms the core of its storyline has been amped up, with characters and costumes having a new sense of familiarity to genre fans. Elements of AVATAR and Ridley Scott’s LEGEND, sword/sorcery visuals and graphic novel sensibilities have been woven into the plotline, along with a dashing prince-like hero (in a billowy romance-cover shirt) and a bald, muscular challenger in black leather pants.
As you might expect, Le Reve is much less of a musical now. The live singing doesn’t kick in until the second third of the show. Most of the ballroom dancing has been jettisoned, along with three angels who served as comic relief. In their place are two impish sidekicks who serve a staff-wielding Dream Master. That ominous character sends the dreamer into her adventure and leads her from one experience to the next before returning her to our world.
Certain acts remain relatively unchanged, like a wild sequence with giant fishing nets and another with three female acrobats inside of a sphere. Natural elements like rain, snow, and fire have been amped up. A new effect features globes made entirely of water that descend from an enormous domed ceiling….while flames swirl around inside of them. It’s hard to describe, but absolutely breathtaking.
As you might expect, not all is perfect in the new Le Reve. The happy-ending finale is set to a horribly cheesy song that would be more at home in Disney’s Parade of Lights. The Piece Montee set, a multi-tiered fountain from which high-divers leap and spin, is now adorned with Day-Glo accents that resemble a child’s aquarium. In fact, the entire sequence feels like a deleted scene from The Little Mermaid or Finding Nemo.
A source connected with the show told me (on condition of anonymity) that the current finale is a remnant from a different failed revision that Steve Wynn halted (Wynn has had a hands-on role since purchasing the rights from creator Franco Dragone in 2006 and provides a voice-over in the latest rollout).
Apparently, this jettisoned re-imagining was only performed twice for audiences before being packed up and tossed into the dead pool. For whatever reason, the “get-happy” conclusion from the discarded reworking remains. It could easily be excised until another one is created and the show would still feel complete.
The source went on to say that original composer Benoit Jutras has been working on a new score to balance the overall tone and that a lyricist will be adding songs back into the production soon. So Le Reve will continue to be fluid, at least in the weeks and months ahead.
As I stated in my review of the Beatles LOVE update, retooling a successful show can be a risky proposition. But like the artists of Cirque du Soleil, Wynn’s entertainment group has stayed true to the source material while making it feel brand new.
Comparisons to Cirque du Soleil will most likely follow The Dream throughout its run, which in unfortunate. Le Reve – The Dream sets itself apart in ways too numerous to mention. Unlike Bellagio’s O, the show at Wynn manages to be both intimate and epic. It’s my personal favorite in the city.
Le Reve – The Dream is a spectacle on a massive scale. It’s incredible entertainment…and one hundred percent pure “Las Vegas.”
Le Reve – The Dream performs Friday through Tuesday at 7 pm and 9:30 pm. Tickets start at $115.00 plus taxes/fees and are available by clicking here. Our friend at VegasFool.com is running a special with Grandview seating for $99 plus taxes/fees (regular $145) by following this link.
Photos: Sam Novak
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